Centralized



July 24, 1951 E. w. DAvls 2,561,786

CENTRALIZED LUBRICATING SYSTEM Filed July 19, 1946 Patented July 24, 1951 N UNITED `CENTRALIZED LUBRICATING SYSTEM Ernest W. Davis, River Forest, Ill.

Application July 19, 1946, Serial No. 684,643

4 Claims. 1

My. invention relates generally to centralized lubricating systems, and more particularly to improved means for alternately supplying lubricant under4 pressure to the opposite ends` of a conduit connecting feedervalves in series, or a1- ternately'to the two conduits of adual line centralized lubricating system.

In anumber of different types of centralized lubricating systems it is required alternately to supply the lubricant under pressure to two different conduits or to the opposite ends of the same conduit, while relieving the lubricant pressure in the conduitnot being supplied with luricant under pressure, Lubricating systems of these types are shown in the patents to John T. Leonard No. 2,022,005 andA 2,440,410 and to R. Wedeburg No. 2,392,017.

It is thus the primary object of my invention to" provide an improved means for supplying lubricant under pressure alternately to two outlets forming part of a centralized lubricating system, while relieving the lubricant pressure at the outlet which is not being supplied with lubricant under pressure.

A `further object is to provide an improved means for intermittently `supplying lubricant under pressure to the conduits of a centralized lubri-V eating system.

spectively. Each of the cylinders has an inlet port 26, and a spring pressed outlet ball check va1ve`23. Thepump bodies 24 and 25 are secured to and project through the walls of a lubricant reservoir 30, and each of the bodies is providedwith a relief valve port 32 adapted to be closed by suitably guided valves 34 and 35, respectively. These valves are preferably of the open-shut type, that is, they are two `position valves which are closed in one position and open in the other. The valve chambers communicate withthe` interior of the reservoir through pipes 36 and 31, respectively.

l The valve 34 is adapted to be held against its seat by an electromagnet 38 operating through an armature 40 pivoted cna lug 42 forming part l of the reservoir 30, the armature being provided with a nonmagnetic sheet 44 to prevent the armature from sticking to the electromagnet. The valve 35 is similarly arranged to be held in closed position by the energization of an electromagnet 39` having an armature 4l engaging the end of the valve 35. The armatures 40 and `'ll engage the valves 34, 35 at a point close to the pivot of the armature so that the electromagnets may apply a substantial force to hold the valves in closed position. l

The parts to be supplied with lubricant are each provided with a suitable measuring or feeder valve 4B, which may be of any suitable construction such, for examplaas shown in Leonard Patent No. 2,115,637. These valves are connected in series by suitable conduits, one end A of the conduit system being` connected to the pump body 24, while the other end B is connected to the pump body 25.

In order that the measuring or feeder valves 48 will operate to discharge measured quantities of lubricant to their respective bearings, it is necessary that lubricant under pressure be causedk to iiow rst into the end A, Vwhile relieving the pressure at the end B of the conduit system, and `that thereafter the lubricant under pressure be supplied to the end B While relieving the pressure in the end A, of the conduit system. This cycle of applying and relieving lubricant pressure at the ends `of the conduitsystem is repeated at timed intervals, `of duration depending upon the character of lubrication required bythe parts of the machine being lubricated. v

Thistiming is accomplished by means of a suitable synchronousmotor 50 connected toline conductors 52 and 53, upon closure of the main switch` 54.` For the sake of simplicity, the line switch is illustrated as connecting the line conductor 53 to ground` while it connects theline conductor 54 toa pair of Contact arm cam followers 56 and 51, as Well as to the synchronous motor 50. The synchronous motor 50 drives a cam 58 through suitable speed reduction gearing. This cam may be arranged .to rotate at a speed of one revolution per hour, or any other suitable interval, depending upon the frequency of `lubrication required. The cam follower contact arm 56, when engaged by the high point of the` cam 58 is adapted to complete two circuits. Engagement of the arm 56 with contact 60 completes a circuit to electromagnet 39 while the engagement of the arm with the contact B2 completes a circuit to energize motor I0. `As the cam 58 rotates through it will, after permitting contacts El] and E32 to open, cause the cam follower arm 51 to engage Ycontacts 64! and ii, thus completing circuits toy energize the electromagnet 3B and the motor IU. I

The apparatus operates in the following `manner. Assuming that the main switch 54 is closed, the synchronous motor 5B will drive the cam 58 at a constant speed, and in the position in which the cam-"fis shownV in the drawing, it will .have closed the circuits to the motor l!)V and theelectromagnet 3S. The energization of the electromagnet 39 holds the valve 35 in closed position S01 f that the discharge of the pumpuZF will loethrough`I theend B of the conduit and lubricant will' flow" successively to `the measuring or feeder-valves` 4.6.;

The pump 124 operates continuously while the motor Ill is energized but thelubric'ant pumped" thereby may dow relatively freely past the valve. 1

34 and through the pipe 36 into the lubricant reservoir. lThe high pointon the camn is or suflicient angularextent relative to its speed ,of

rotation that the pumps will thus operate lfor an interval ofv time ladequate `for the operationof yall ,of rthe measuring valves; f,

The measuring valves are y.of ysuch construction that, after theyhave operated tos'upply-measured charges of lubricant to their connected bearings,

g cant under pressure to two conduit ends, comprising a lubricant reservoir, a pair ofl pumps receiving lubricant from the reservoir and having their outlets connected `respectively to the conduit ends,l a single motor driving both of said pumps, means forming passageways respectively connecting the conduit ends with the reservoir, a pair of electromagnetically operated open-shut .valvesirespective'ly controlling-thefow "of ,lubricant through'. said passageways, a source of electric current, and a circuit controller operable to @connect the source to the motor intermittently at intervals vof ,predetermined duration and to connect the electromagnetically operated valves f Pto-the' current source alternately during the successive intervals that the motor is energized,

wherebythe discharge from one of thepumps Wilif--befvented to the lubricant reservoir while the discharge of the other is being supplied to its connected. conduit end.

2. .Apparatus for alternatelyI supplying lubri-V cant under pressure. totwoconduit .ends.A.and.B,

` fthe lubricant will'continue to owthrcugh the measuringvalves and conduit system and even'- tually be discharged through the end yA, of the conduit. The lubricant thus discharged isjalso Afree to` flow to the reservoir:through'the` port 32 and pipef36 since the electromagnet BSisfnot l energized and-the valves@ is-jfree to moi/efraim its. seat-`4 Afterthe cam has rotated a' suiiicient distance to permit the follower arm V5555 to mo've yaway .from'the contacts G 'and 32, the ,motorjlull will be deenergizedfan'd `both electromagnets and 39 likewise deenergizedso that bothlends` A vand B of the conduit will be vented to the reserl voir30.. After thefcam has moved a sulcientdistance Yto engage theffollower,armf5'lf,' circuits, to the .electromagnet 38 and motor 0 will. be completed v.

vand the valve 34 ,thus heldin closedl position. Pressure will therefore build up` 'at'then conduit end A whilethe conduit end Bfwill remain vented .to the lubricant reservoir 33. The lubricaritv will thereby bel caused'.to.ow in the reverse direction through l the measuring valves,A to` "discharge measured quantities"y of lubricantlto .thefbearings .to which the measuring `,valves'f are connected and to reset the measuringyalvs for the. 'n'exthalf cycle of operation. '.1

y The lubricant pumping "and: controlling 'appa-4 g .ratus may be used in conjunction. withvsofcalled dual .line lubricating systems .gin which the measuring valves are, connectediin parallel loe- "tween two Vline y conduits. andV are operated. by

alternately supplying lubricantvunder pressure to ,one .of the line conduits while the othericonfduit vis being vented` .7 f

,While lhaveshown and describe-ilv a preferred embodirnent of my invention, it will Qbe lapparent that numerous variations and modifications thereofmay be madewithout departing yfrom. the 'underlying principles of the invention. I there# fore desire, `bythe yfollowing claiinsrto yinclude withinthe` scope of the invention all such varia.

tions .and modifications by which substantially the results of my invention may be obtained 'through the use .of substantially. the "sameor equivalentY means.

Iclairnt l. Apparatus for alternately supplying lubrif-x comprisingfa lubricantreservoir, a pair of pumps receiving lubricantfrom the reservoir andhav-v ing. ftheirgoutlets .connected,respectivelyto.the

conduitends A and B a single .motor .driving Y both of. ysaid` pumpsr passageways' ,respectively connecting the. conduit ,ends A. and. B lwith the reservoima pairv of open-.shut valvesfrespectively controlling the flow of lubricant .throughsaid passageways, electromagnetic, meansY foroperat'- ing thevalves, .a source ofelectric current, 4and y a. circuit controller operable to. connect the source to the. motor .intermittently air-,intervals of predetermined duration'and to connect the' electromagnetic means to the current'source'; alternately during. .the su ccessive I intervals that the .motor Vis energized, wherebyj the `discharge .from one ofthe pumps willbe ventedtothe lubricant. reservoir whilethe discharge `of the other isibeing. supplied to its'connected conduit end.

"3., In lalubricatingsystem, the combinatiomof a pair of pumpsV for-'supplyinglubricant.under pressure respectively to two conduit ends, 1a. driv- .ing motorconnectedyto.thepumps electromag- .neticallyoperated open-shut valves lconnected f with the conduit ends respectively- .to .vent rthe latter", .ran d a timingcontrol vmeans' intermiti .tently-energ-izing- ,the motor while alternately .energizing the electromagneticvalves: 1 Q4. In -a lubrcatingpsystem-,g thecombinationxof allubricant reservoir, a pair `of ,fconduit-endslfa l. `pair/.ofpumps receiving'y lubricant Afromrthe reservalves.v l.

, ERNEST j Wel DAvs.- v

.REFERENCEs CITED` y The `following references 'arerof recordjinfthe Tille 'offthis-patent': v 1

` "UNITED sTATusrA'rEN'rsf i Number y Name .Date

2,007,156` Burrell July 9,1935 2,022,005" 'Leonard 'l v `v.Nov. 26; '1935 2,068,392 f '.Acker Jan. 19; 1937 

